The best 21/2" light-weight hose?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Walker on March 7, 2009 at 9:17pm

I get back with you tomorrow on this as to what we use.

Permalink Reply by Art Zern on March 8, 2009 at 8:44am

Hey Mike,

Thanks.

I was really sorry to hear of the loss of your member, Chris Dill. My thoughts are with you, the OKC Fire Department and his family.

Art

Permalink Reply by Ray on March 8, 2009 at 9:18am

Forget about light-weight hose. Someone needs to invent light-weight water!

Permalink Reply by Art Zern on March 8, 2009 at 3:08pm

Ray,

I guess you are not a fan of light weight. So far, I would have to agree. The light-weight we have tried falls far short of an acceptable replacement. I'm just wondering if anyone has found a respectable alternative, or.....does it not exist?

Thanks,

Art

Permalink Reply by L. Chapel on March 16, 2009 at 10:07am

Two years ago we switched from one firefighter carrying 100’ of 1 ¾” attackline to that FF now carrying one 50’ section of 2 ½” attackline. The 1 ¾” bundle weighed 40 lbs.

We narrowed it down to the following choices of double jacket hose:

Niedner XL800 – 20.5 lbs. Didn’t make the cut, soft outside jacket wears easy.

Mercedes MTFS-800DP – 21 lbs. Lining not attached to the jacket, what a pain.

National Fire Hose – 23.5 lbs. Much tougher jacket and it’s attached.

We didn’t go for the lightest since each FF was to carry one section. Three pounds one way or another just not a factor. Even if we pack and carry the hose in our 2 ½” static bed it only weighs out at 27 lbs.

Permalink Reply by L. Chapel on March 16, 2009 at 12:56pm

I failed to mention the National Fire Hose is their Dura-Pak line.

Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on March 16, 2009 at 1:01pm

Bro
Don't get lulled into the light weight hose thing. It does not work. The weight difference is not much when you set your rollups correctly. You are correct when you say it kinks up too much. I am in the belief that when they designed and tested this stuff, they had a 100 PSI combo nozzle on it. I will bet a weeks paycheck it did not kink then. When you put a low pressure SB nozzle on it, the stuff kinked horribly. Also think of the thermal protection. Long class 1 hallways get hot. Burn throughs are common with double jacketed hose. How does this stuff hold up? Go back to standard hose, and if manpower is the problem, wait. Someone will help you carry it! The fire is not going anywhere!

Permalink Reply by Art Zern on March 16, 2009 at 8:18pm

Les and Russ,

Thanks for the input. As I said, we had a lot of trouble with the light-weight 2 1/2". Over three days of stairwell lead-outs using both light weight and our standard 2 1/2", the regular old 2 1/2" provided the most reliable stretch without kinking. Perhaps we should stick with what we already know. Les, are all of the hoses you listed "standard" 2 1/2"? By that I mean not light-weight?

Thanks again gents.

Art

Permalink Reply by L. Chapel on March 17, 2009 at 7:37am

Art,
The Dura-Pak is the hose we ended up going to. It's not really light weight because there are certainly a lot out there that are much lighter. But like Russ stated being “light” was not the deciding factor. The light weight stuff that’s advertised as such weighs no more than a stick of 1 ¾” (14-19 lbs).

I’m curious as to the weight of your static bed 2 ½” hose? As I mentioned, ours is only 27 lbs. The truth is we would have been very happy if that’s what the department bought for our high-rise application. The idea for us was to spread out the load anyhow. We put some old cotton jacket stuff with brass couplings on the scales. That stuff weighed out at 36-38 lbs! I always knew my Dad was a stud.

Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on March 17, 2009 at 9:47am

Go Dad!

Les Chapel said:

Art,
The Dura-Pak is the hose we ended up going to. It's not really light weight because there are certainly a lot out there that are much lighter. But like Russ stated being “light” was not the deciding factor. The light weight stuff that’s advertised as such weighs no more than a stick of 1 ¾” (14-19 lbs).

I’m curious as to the weight of your static bed 2 ½” hose? As I mentioned, ours is only 27 lbs. The truth is we would have been very happy if that’s what the department bought for our high-rise application. The idea for us was to spread out the load anyhow. We put some old cotton jacket stuff with brass couplings on the scales. That stuff weighed out at 36-38 lbs! I always knew my Dad was a stud.

Permalink Reply by Art Zern on March 17, 2009 at 2:12pm

Les,

I would like to stick with the 2 1/2" in our static beds based on durability, resistance to wear and heat etc........ Just looking to answer everyones questions as to "light-weight" 2 1/2. I have not seen or found a reasonable replacement for our static hose. I agree that dividing the weight (one length per man) is lighter than the 2" standpipe pack. Thanks. Can I assume that your list is all "conventional" 2 1/2 that you also use as your static hose?

Art

Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on March 17, 2009 at 2:42pm

Art
Conventinal Ponns duel jacket fire hose. Doesn't get any more basic than that!

Art Zern said:

Les,

I would like to stick with the 2 1/2" in our static beds based on durability, resistance to wear and heat etc........ Just looking to answer everyones questions as to "light-weight" 2 1/2. I have not seen or found a reasonable replacement for our static hose. I agree that dividing the weight (one length per man) is lighter than the 2" standpipe pack. Thanks. Can I assume that your list is all "conventional" 2 1/2 that you also use as your static hose?

Art

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